Xerochrysum plant named ‘Bondre 11100’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Xerochrysum  plant named ‘Bondre 11100’, characterized by its double-type, dark red-colored inflorescences, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Xerochrysum bracteatum.

Variety denomination: ‘Bondre 11100’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Xerochrysum plant botanically known as Xerochrysum bracteatum and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Bondre 11100’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Yellow Rock, NSW, Australia during October 2010. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Xerochrysum cultivars with unique flower coloration, and compact, upright-mounded growth habit.

The new Xerochrysum cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Xerochrysum bracteatum breeding selection coded 10-22, not patented, characterized by its double-type, medium red-orange colored inflorescences, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact-mounded growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Xerochrysum bracteatum breeding selection coded 10-30, not patented, characterized by its double-type, dark red- colored inflorescences, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during March 2011 in a controlled environment in Yellow Rock, NSW, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since March 2011 in Yellow Rock, NSW, Australia, Arroyo Grande, Calif., and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Bondre 11100’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Xerochrysum plant:

-   -   1. Double-type, dark red-colored inflorescences;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, compact-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having a different ray floret color and from plants of the male parent primarily in having longer peduncles.

Of the many commercially available Xerochrysum cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Helica Dark Red’, not patented. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Helica Dark Red’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have larger inflorescences than         plants of ‘Helica Dark Red’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have more branches than plants of         ‘Helica Dark Red’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Bondre 11100’. The plants were grown in 4-inch pots for 8 weeks in a greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given one pinch at transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Bondre 11100’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Bondre 11100’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in December 2013 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in 4-inch pots for 10 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Plants were given one pinch at transplant. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 66° F. to 70° F. (19° C. to 21° C.) during the day and approximately 58° F. to 62° F. (14° C. to 17° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Xerochrysum bracteatum cultivar Bondre     11100. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Xerochrysum bracteatum breeding             selection coded 10-22, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Xerochrysum bracteatum breeding             selection coded 10-30, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 6 to 8 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             compact-mounded.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 11.5 cm. Width: Approximately 19.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Quantity of main branches             per plant: Approximately 4.         -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Length to base of peduncle:             Approximately 4.2 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Length             of central internode: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture: Densely             pubescent. Color of young and mature stems: 144D. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 8. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple.             Arrangement: Alternate.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem, tips turn downward with             age. Shape: Linear to elliptic. Margin: Entire. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Sessile. Venation pattern: Parallel. Length             of mature leaf: Approximately 8.0 cm. Width of mature leaf:             Approximately 1.3 cm. Texture of upper surface: Moderately             pubescent. Texture of lower surface: Sparsely pubescent.             Color of upper surface of young foliage: 137A with             indistinguishable venation except for midvein of 145B. Color             of lower surface of young and mature foliage: Closest to             137B with indistinguishable venation except for midvein of             145B. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: Closest to             139A with indistinguishable venation except for midvien of             145B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Bondre 11100’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 2 to 3 weeks. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Double, composite. Persistent.             Shape: Hemispherical when involucral bracts are fully             expanded. Aspect: Facing outward or upward held above the             foliage. Arrangement: Terminal, solitary. Disc florets and             involucral bracts develop acropetally on a capitulum.             Fragrance: None. Quantity per plant: Approximately 4.             Diameter: Approximately 4.2 cm. Depth: Approximately 2.3 cm.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 4.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Texture: Tomentose. Color: 144B.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 14 to 21 days for bud             to progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity             per plant: Approximately 1.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: Approximately             1.3 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 cm. Color: 187A and             187B.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence:             Approximately 300. Arrangement: Imbricate in approximately             15 whorls. Aspect: Initially at acute angle to disc,             becoming perpendicular to downward turning at maturity.             Shape: Lanceolate, slightly cupped with sides turned upward.             Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Length of             outermost: Approximately 1.6 cm. Length of innermost:             Approximately 8.0 mm. Width of outermost: Approximately             5.0 mm. Width of innermost: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of             upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, papery. Color of upper             surface when first and fully open: Outermost have base of             NN155C centers of 187C, and edges of 187A; innermost have             base of 2C, centers of 181A and edges of 187A. Color of             lower surface when first and fully open: Outermost have base             of NN155C centers of 187B, and edges of 187A; innermost have             base of 2D, centers of 181B and tips of 187A.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Numerous, greater             than 1,000. Arrangement: Massed in center of inflorescence,             multiple whorls of female florets at perimeter. Shape:             Tubular with an outer whorl of approximately 20 feather-like             filaments, approximately 6.0 mm in length and NN155A in             color. Margin: Entire. Apex: Five acute tips. Base: Fused.             Length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter at apex:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Diameter at base: Less than 1 mm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color when fully open: 21A transitioning             through 145D to a base of NN155D, opaque.         -   Disc.—Diameter: Approximately 2.1 cm. Depth: Approximately             1.0 cm.         -   Receptacle.—Shape: Flat. Diameter: Approximately 2.8 cm.             Color: 145D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5 per             floret, fused around the style. Stamen length: Approximately             7.0 mm. Anther shape: Linear. Anther length: Approximately             3.0 mm. Anther color: 14A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: 14B. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per floret. Pistil             length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted.             Stigma length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma color: 21A.             Style length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Style color: Colorless,             transparent. Ovary length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary             color: NN155D, opaque. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed to date. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Xerochrysum has not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Xerochrysum have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures from 0° C. to 35° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Xerochrysum plant named ‘Bondre 11100’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 